Last Updated on September 9, 2015 by SteakEat

Searing NY strip in cast iron skillet might sound quite tricky.

After all it’s an expensive cut of beef and cast iron skillet is well-known for its stickiness…

So, how to cook New York strip steak using cast iron skillet, so it’s perfect every time? This guide will help you out to cook it like a pro.

To begin with, we will not touch recipes (up until Part 3) – I do that to help you understand the actual method behind (poor technique is what fails unexperienced steak lovers).

So, all you need now is kosher salt and pepper.

To make it easier, this guide is separated into three sections:

• Part 1 – How to Prepare and Cook NY Strip Steak. Here you will find the detailed steps of the searing process, so you may cook a tender, juicy NY strip in a cast iron skillet on stovetop.
• Part 2 – Choosing the Best Steak & The Tools Needed to Sear it. This section overviews how to purchase the perfect cut of beef for flavor, while ensuring you have chosen the proper equipment for searing the NY steak.
• Part 3 – Achieving the Perfect Steak with Tips from the Experts. Here we will discuss the techniques needed to kick your steak cooking skills into high gear.

Ready to start cooking? Let’s go!

Part 1 – How to Prepare and Cook NY Strip Steak

As you begin this section of the guide, I am assuming you have your NY steak and cooking utensils handy. If you do not have these items on hand, read Part 2 of this guide before you begin the searing process.

Ensure you have the necessary ingredients assembled before you begin cooking, including:

• 14oz/400g NY strip steak (preferably matured 21 days (3 wks.) and from organic grass-fed cattle)
• Kosher salt
• Whole peppercorns (these will be ground later)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil or ghee

You will also need to gather the equipment for the searing process, which includes:

• Cast iron skillet (grill marks preferred but optional)
• High-quality tongs
• 2 meat thermometers (instant read and oven thermometer for thick cuts)
• Paper towels

If these ingredients and tools are on hand, let’s start cooking!

5 Easy Steps to Cook NY Steak in a Cast Iron Skillet

Step 1: Bring the Steak to Room Temperature

If you expect the perfect tenderness and flavor from your steak, cook it after it has arrived at room temperature.

When using 7 ounces of NY strip steak, you should remove it from the fridge at least 40 minutes before cooking.

If your steak is larger, prepare to remove it as much as two hours before searing.

Step 2: Prepare and Heat the Skillet

Skillets of cast iron construction are good because they stay hot once they arrive at the proper temperature, making them ideal for searing.

However, they can take forever to warm when compared to skillets of steel or aluminum.

Cast iron skillets also have the tendency to cause your NY steak to stick to the pan and then burn when they are not prepared properly.

The preparation process you will use on your skillet is known as seasoning.

Heat the cast iron to a smoking hot temperature and then add 1 tablespoon of ghee or coconut oil. These two are both ideal for high-temperature cooking.

Move the oil around the skillet until it is evenly distributed.

Then, remove the skillet from heat and set it aside to cool before removing excess grease with paper towels.

You are now ready to heat the skillet for searing – put it on stove top set at maximum heat.

The heating process will take a while – anything up to 10-15 minutes.

How to know that your skillet is ready? Look out for light fumes which will start escaping the skillet, once it’s approaching the required temperature.

Once you see them lift off, wait for another 20 seconds – your skillet is now completely ready for searing a delicious New York strip.

Step 3: Pat Dry, Then Season the NY Strip

While your skillet is heating, keep busy by preparing your steak.

Take a paper towel and use a tapping motion to remove liquid from the steak’s surface.

Once the NY steak has been dried, season it with kosher salt. I personally recommend 2-3 pinches of salt on both sides of a 7 ounce portion of NY steak.

Do not add pepper in this step.

Freshly ground peppercorns are often burn, which will result in a charred flavor.

For this reason, add your peppercorns once the cooking process is done.

Step 4: Searing the NY Strip

After you have heated the cast iron and seasoned the steak, place the NY strip in the skillet.

If you have achieved a high enough temperature, you will hear a quiet sizzling. So, how long should your NY cut be cooked?

For a medium-rare doneness, cook the NY steak 3 minutes on each side.

Cook the steak 1.5 minutes atop the grill marks before turning it 90 degrees, to result in #-style markings on the finished steak.

Then, use your tongs to flip the NY strip and repeat the process on the opposite side.

The next step is searing the steak 2 minutes for each of the lateral sides.

The maneuvering you must do in these steps will allow you to appreciate the usefulness of high-quality tongs when compared to other utensils.

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Side Note:

To ensure your cut remains juicy and tender, do not cook it over a medium-rare level of doneness – it is a guarantee that you will be able to enjoy your steak.

How to know that the steak is medium-rare? Check it with an instant read thermometer!

Insert the probe into the middle of the NY strip steak.

Medium-rare state equals to the internal temperature of 130F or 55C.

The searing method discussed here works best for NY strip steaks under 2.5cm, or 1 inch thick.

If you find your steak to be thicker, use this method to sear it and complete cooking using the oven, to retain flavor and juiciness.

Remember though that this should be checked using an oven-safe probe, so it doesn’t melt at high temperature.

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Step 5: Rest the NY Strip Steak

After ten minutes, you should have finished searing your steak (3 minutes on each side and 2 minutes for both lateral sides).

After searing, place the NY strip steak on a plate, cutting board, or another hard, sanitary surface.

Then, grind and add your fresh black peppercorn to the NY strip.

Leave the cut on the plate for 3-4 minutes before it is cut into.

This process is known as resting. It stabilizes the juices in your steak so they do not run when you cut into the steak.

Once you have allowed the NY strip to rest for a minimum of 3 minutes, take a sharp knife and cut across the grain (muscle fibers) of the NY strip steak. This ensures retention of its juices. Serve your juicy, tender steak alone or paired with sides for a filling meal.

This is the end of the searing process. Good job! This is the initial step to becoming a NY strip steak cooking expert using the cast iron method.

This method results in a juicy, flavorful cut, so that you may enjoy your strip steak the way it is cooked.

If you find that you would like recipes and expert tips on achieving the best possible NY steak, read on.